1. How the food changes consistency and form.
Once the food has entered the mouth, the process of chewing mechanically cuts large food portions into smaller pieces. Then, it combines with saliva to form bolus, a semi-solid paste that is easy to swallow. The food will then pass through the pharynx and esophagus, until it reaches the stomach wherein strong enzymes and stomach acid are secreted, continuing the breakdown of the food, and the bolus will be formed into a more fluid-like substance called the chyme. The digestive process moves from the stomach to the small intestine, where it uses bile from the liver and pancreatic enzymes to break down food. By means of peristalsis, stool, or waste from the digestive process, moves through the colon, first in a liquid state and then in solid or semisolid form called feces. Feces are kept in the rectum until they pass through the anus and leave the digestive tract as a bowel movement.
2. How the body was able to absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.
The small intestine is responsible for the majority of nutritional absorption, with some assistance from the large intestine, because the small intestine is in charge of extracting nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals from food so that the cells can use them. Important nutrients are extracted from the food that has been digested by the villi, a microscopic brush-like lining that enhances the surface area of the small intestine, making them excellent at absorbing nutrients.
In this procedure, water is also essential. The small intestine extracts nutrients through a process known as diffusion. Water and water-soluble substances are transported over barriers, such as the villi in the small intestine, by diffusion. Once these nutrients have penetrated the villi, they are sent directly to the bloodstream. This is how these nutrients can function in cells to build proteins and release energy.
REFERENCES:
Khatri, M. (2022, March 8). The Digestive System Diagram, Organs, Function, and More. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-system
Sprouse, S. (2019, November 15). Your Guide to How Nutrients are Absorbed by the Body. Ask The Scientists. https://askthescientists.com/nutrient-absorption/